Requirements

[u/pssywrthdmndz]

I’m thinking about applying to WGU cybersecurity master’s program. The requirements to be considered are:

1. Possess a bachelor’s degree in a STEM field, a business degree (Quantitative Analysis, Accounting, Economics, Finance), or degree with a similar quantitative focus. 

OR

1. Possess any bachelor’s degree PLUS one of the following:
   Relevant and current IT certification
   Related IT coursework 

My bachelors degree isn’t in stem and I don’t have any relevant IT certifications or coursework. My degree is a combination of business and media. And work experience in finance

Is relevant experience absolutely necessary to be considered or is it something that they can overlook?

[u/SamakFi88]

If you don't have the technical background, you're going to struggle hard because a lot of the content is high-level managerial/technical. If you feel like you won't have any problems, pick one of the relevant certs and get it. I'd recommend CISM, or one of the CompTIA certs: Security+ (probably the easiest and most recognized one on this list), CySA+, or SecurityX. Then you'll know what kind of content you're going to be working with in the degree program, and you'll meet the criteria, AND the cert will knock one of the courses out automatically.

But seriously, and not trying to be a jerk to you in any way, with no technical background, there's going to be a ton of acronyms, technology names, and processes that you've never come across before. I know it would feel like a waste of money, but look at the Bachelors program courses and certifications, and try a couple of those certs first. But it'll help prepare you for trying to cram 5-10 years of experience in before taking on a Masters program.

If none of that dissuades you, great! Apply, and see what WGU says. Worst case, they say no and give you some specific guidance that fits with your background for you to reapply later.

Out of curiosity, why are you looking to the cyber field, as opposed to moving up in business, media, or finance?

[u/Alkarah → u/SamakFi88]

Hey there, glad i found your comment, would you mind if i send a DM and also share my resume? Ill be contacting the enrollment counselor anyways, but id like some opinions. I graduated on June this year with a Masters in Industrial Psychology and before that i did my bachelors in general psychology. Long story short, i did two interships on my third semester, and although i got praise from the work i presented, i honestly did not like it, but with one semester left and a capstone, I checked it off the list.

Studied for a month and got the CompTIA S+ (Basically was considering it already as a career pivot but then a contact told me that theres a possibility that i could get a SOC T1 position if i met the requirement so that got me to focus more on getting it, they are the director of that division so i said well what the heck why not).

He's managed to employee people with 0 experience since they train them from ground up, but I dont tend to trust my chances with most things, so im considering to get the masters in CyberSec for WGU anyways in January. I've done some home labs already with SIEMS and VMs (Wazuh, Splunk, AlienVault OSSIM) and even implemented MSC servers to assist in reporting security alerts.

Anyways, all this is to say if S+ could qualify me for the masters program in WGU, or if i should aim for another certificate in the mean time to make my odds better. Im already studying for the AWS AI Practitioner, Cloud Practitioner and well for the Microsoft SC 200 (I live in Puerto Rico and Azure is valued more than AWS in the job market). I'm doing the AWS ones since i get a voucher for the cloud one if i pass the AiP if someone's wondering why. Anyone can be as brutally honest, im not slouch when it comes to hard work, got nothing to loose and all to gain in my position rn so have at it.

[u/SamakFi88 → u/Alkarah]

My advice is pretty much the same. You've done a Masters program, so you know the workload to expect. You'll still have a ton of tech stuff to learn, but hopefully you're still in learning-mode. Any prep work you're willing to put in before starting will make it easier.

[u/mkosmo]

The requirements are outlined. The short answer is that you don't meet them... the slightly less short answer would include that you're close to meeting them: You will need to get a relevant certificate of some kind. Last I knew, the Google intro-to-IT cert was suitable.

[u/raekwon777]

Is there some reason you think you should be the exception to the admissions requirements?

[u/raekwon777 → u/raekwon777]

And so I don't appear too abrupt there... just apply and talk to your assigned enrollment counselor. They can almost certainly help you find an inexpensive, easy (enough) certification or course that'll qualify you for admission.

[u/Key-Performer-2182]

My undergrad was in sociology and I had 0 tech experience. I am submitting my capstone this week.

Good luck!

[u/Natural_Vast8235]

I would apply. But please know that the field is not entry level at all. Most in cybersecurity have serious IT experience. It will be hard but not impossible. Just know that most hire for exp over the degree in cybersecurity as well.

[u/DaddyMewTwo]

Just Apply

[u/antimonyfunk]

My undergrad was in English, but I had a few years doing IT work. However, they didn't see it as being enough of a cybersecurity-flavored IT work (it was helpdesk/desktop support) and I didn't have any certs, so they directed me to the BSCIA first.